A man has been given a 24-year sentence for a series of sexual offences against children in South Leeds.
Karl Davison, 43, of Turnberry Gardens, Tingley, approached all of his victims on an electric scooter last summer, in some cases talking to them about the scooter or letting them ride it before assaulting them.
Following a trial at Leeds Crown Court in February, Davison was convicted of three counts of sexual touching on a child aged under 13, one count of assault by penetration on a child under 13 and one count of sexual assault on a child under 16.
The offences relate to five female victims aged as young as 10 and occurred in Thorpe, Middleton and Belle Isle on 6 and 7 August 2024.
Davison was caught after officers on patrol in Lofthouse stopped a man matching the description of the offender in the early hours of 8 August.
Despite giving false details, Davison was quickly identified and arrested.
Police then searched his home and found a mobile phone containing a large amount of explicit images. Davison pleaded guilty to a charge of possessing indecent images of children before his trial.
Today (8 April 2025), Davison was given a 24-year sentence consisting of 17 years in prison and a 7-year extended license period. He was also given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order which includes a ban on him entering parts of Wakefield and Leeds. He will be on the Sex Offenders Register for life.
Detective Superintendent Emma Winfield who led the investigation said:
“These were truly despicable offences, and I welcome the sentence handed down to Davison today. He is a dangerous predator who tried to entice young children to ride his scooter, with a view to sexually assaulting them.
“The victims and their families have shown immense bravery throughout this investigation, and I hope the fact Davison has been brought to justice can give them some sense of comfort moving forwards.
“Crimes of this nature are always taken extremely seriously, and I would urge any other victims of sexual offending, recent or not, to come forward so we can investigate it.
“We have specially trained officers who treat all reports sensitively and will support victims to secure justice for them.”
This post is based on a press release issued by West Yorkshire Police
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